Specimen was formed in 1981 in Bristol, England, by vocalist Olli Wisdom, guitarist Jon Klein, and bassist Kevin Mills, with keyboardist Jonny Slut joining shortly thereafter; the group emerged from the early British post‑punk scene and became an influence on goth subculture. Their first single, "Sharp Teeth Pretty Teeth", released in 1985, introduced their hybrid of punk and glam and marked the band’s initial breakthrough, though no full album followed until a 1997 compilation of previously unreleased material, Azoic, was issued by Metropolis. In 2007, after a decade of sporadic activity, the band released Electric Ballroom under Metropolis Records, featuring collaborations with T.bias and Kimba; the album broadened their reach within alternative rock circles. A live recording of their 2008 Batcave reunion, Alive at the Batcave, captured the group's enduring appeal and was released in 2009. In 2011 the lineup was updated with keyboardist Johann Bley, and the group announced a new project, Wake the Dead, produced by Youth, which debuted in 2013. The band ceased activity following Olli Wisdom’s death in August 2021.
